José de la Cruz
| José de la Cruz | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 21, 1746 Tondo, Manila, Captaincy General of the Philippines |
| Died | March 12, 1829 (aged 82) Manila, Captaincy General of the Philippines |
| Education | None |
| Notable works | Clarito, Adela at Florante, Flora at Clavela, Rodrigo de Vivar, La Guerra Civil de Granad |
José de la Cruz (21 December 1746 – 12 March 1829), more popularly known as Huseng Sisiw, was one of the great Filipino writers during the Spanish regime. He is given the honor of Hari ng mga Makata (King of the Poets) in the Philippines.
De la Cruz was born in Tondo, Manila on December 21, 1746.
His family was ill-fated and he could not afford to study. However, by his own efforts, he was able to learn "Katon at Cartilla" (Spanish primers), Doctrina Christiana (Christian doctrines), Philosophy, Canon law and Theology.
One day when he was taking a bath on a river near their house, two Jesuits passed by and asked him for the right way. Because of de la Cruz' fondness of reading, he was able to understand their language (they were Spaniards) and was able to communicate with them. The Spaniards were amazed by his intelligence and his politeness that they were not able to go to their destination, but instead they just talked with him more to get to know him better. He was eight years old then.
When he was a teenager, he started to have a better understanding in Tagalog language, think bigger ideas, and possess writing skills that awaken the heart and soul of the people partly (or mostly) due to his constant reading of the Bible.
Besides Spanish and Tagalog language, he also learned Latin and Greek. He could also manage to write plays in just a span of time. During a town feast in the province of Batangas one time, he was invited to stage one of his plays. The priest of the event told him to stage a play based on a historical event instead. He was forced to write a story and teach the actors in one night, but the play was still a success. He could also simultaneously dictate poems into five different verses, all at the same time.
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